Synopsis
Through a focus on the life of Dalton Trumbo (1905-1976), this film examines the effects on individuals and families of a congressional pursuit of Hollywood Communists after World War II. Trumbo was one of several writers, directors, and actors who invoked the First Amendment in refusing to answer questions under oath. They were blacklisted and imprisoned. We follow Trumbo to prison, to exile in Mexico with his family, to poverty, to the public shunning of his children, to his writing under others' names, and to an eventual but incomplete vindication. Actors read his letters; his children and friends remember and comment. Archive photos, newsreels and interviews add texture.
Scores
Popularity Percentile (Year)
55.9%
Box Office Percentile (Year)
29.3%
Critic Consensus
82.7% Fresh • 52 critic reviews
Critic reception is largely positive, with 83% of 52 logged reviews marked Fresh. Across reviews, critics repeatedly emphasize family-friendly, emotional, character-driven. Most critics frame the film as an effective delivery of its core style and intent.
family-friendlyemotionalcharacter-driventragicdarklightheartedpoliticalthought-provoking
Cast
| Cast | Year | Reported Salary | Inflation Adjusted | Notes |
|---|
| N/A |
Aggregated Reviews
Rotten Tomatoes critic score84.0
RT critic review count55
Rotten Tomatoes audience score78.0
RT audience rating count25,000
IMDb rating7.4
IMDb votes1,295
Box Office ?
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|
| Domestic | 2008 | $109,057 | $158,900 |
| International | 2008 | N/A | N/A |
| Worldwide | 2008 | $109,057 | $158,900 |
Earnings / Profitability
Estimated net revenues and net expenses for films based on reported and estimated numbers. This income statement should be considered most viable for the first 24 months after the inital movie's release (ie after most lucrative pay windows).
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|
| Revenues |
| Theatrical Net Revenue | 2008 | $54,528 | $79,450 |
| Digital Rentals ? | 2008 | $589,000 | $858,195 |
| Digital Purchases ? | 2008 | $210,000 | $305,978 |
| Physical Rentals ? | 2008 | $4,881,000 | $7,111,796 |
| Physical Purchases ? | 2008 | $10,114,000 | $14,736,469 |
| TV & Streaming Revenue | 2008 | $54,528 | $79,450 |
| Total Revenues | 2008 | $15,903,057 | $23,171,337 |
| Expenses |
| Budget ? | 2008 | $250,000 (est) | $364,259 (est) |
| Print & Advertising (P&A) ? | 2008 | $87,000 (est) | $126,762 (est) |
| Participations | 2008 | $636,000 | $926,675 |
| Residuals ? | 2008 | $1,135,000 | $1,653,737 |
| Interest & Overhead | 2008 | $50,000 | $72,852 |
| Total Expenses | 2008 | $2,158,000 | $3,144,285 |
| Movie Net Profit or Loss | 2008 | $13,745,057 | $20,027,052 |
Similar Movies
| Poster | Movie | Year | Match | Overall | Est. Profit |
|---|
 | Won't You Be My Neighbor? | 2018 | Shared genres: 2 | 81.8 | $15,069,865 |
 | Three Identical Strangers | 2018 | Shared genres: 2 | 81.2 | $14,259,486 |
 | Amy | 2015 | Shared genres: 2 | 80.1 | $22,715,889 |
 | Searching for Sugar Man | 2012 | Shared genres: 2 | 77.4 | $23,551,234 |
 | Senna | 2011 | Shared genres: 2 | 75.3 | $18,376,079 |
Tooltips
- Budget Estimated using Machine Learning
- Digital Rentals: PVOD, VOD, & On-Demand
- Marketing & distribution costs to release Movie in Theaters. Includes: Online & Offline Ads, Posters, Trailer Production, and physical or digital copies (formerly "prints") sent to cinemas.
- Net Digital Purchase Revenue
- Net Revenues for Physical Rentals: VHS, DVD, BluRay (when appropriate)
- Physical Purchases: VHS $0, DVD $9,210,000, BluRay $904,000
- Reported or Estimated Net Budget (after tax, product placements, & grants)
- Theatrical box office grosses split into Domestic, International, and Worldwide totals.
- Union-modeled residuals using SAG-AFTRA and WGA schedules as a simplified estimate proxy.
- reestimate_prior_estimate;covid_mult=1.00;peer_count=0;reg_box_pred=132037;reg_main_pred=327635
Budget Tooltip
Reported or Estimated Net Budget (after tax, product placements, & grants)
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